Fuel-heater.



J. BRETZ, JR.

FUEL HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. 191i.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

llnnn Clftoz "egg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BRETZ, TR, 01 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FUEL-HEATER.

jcation ot Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

Application filed November 20, 1917. SeriabNo. 202.923.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JonnBnnrz, Jr., a citizenof the United States of America, re

provide means, for quickly raising the tem-' perature of fuel passingthrbfugh a carbureter or other fuel supplyingl'device to make the fuelmore volatile and t us aid in starting the engine, and further, toautomatically control the operation of such means to maintain' thetemperature of the fuel above a pre' determined point to- "we reater'efliciency and economy in runmng e engine. It is also an object of theinvention to so construct an electrical heating device and embodytherein a thermostatic control, that the same, as a unit, ma be readilyconnected to a carburetor as o inarily constructed and will form a sulemental fuel. chamber therefor within w 1011 the heating element isinclosed and immersed in the fuel, whereby a small quantity of fuel isquickly heated for startin the engine and the temperature of the fuepassing through this chamber to the engine, automatically controlledduring the 1 running of thesengine. W,

A further object of my invention is. to

attain the above and other objects by a simple, durable and inexpensivemechanical s l\ construction which ishereinafter specifically describedand then claimed.

Reference will now be had to' the drawing, 48 wherein- Fi re 1 is a sideelevation of a conventiona form of. carburetor, partly broken away-andpart] in section, showing the elec'-- trical heating evice attachedthereto and in section; and

Fig. '2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the electrical heatingdevice as apl 1ied to a carbuieter bowl or outer fuel retacle.figillustrating an embodiment of the invention, there is shown aconventional form siding at Detroit, in the county of Wayne ofcarbureter comprising a body 1 provided with a float chamber 2 adaptedto supply a fuel, as gasolene or kerosene to'a nozzle 3 in a Venturitube extending .into an. engine manifold connection 5. This type ofcarbureter ordinarily has a detachable bottom plug which permits of thecarbureter being drained, and to install my electrical heating deviceitis only necessary to remove the bottom plug and substitute my devicetherefor. The electrical heating device comprises a tubular member 6having the lower end thereof closed and the upper end exteriorlyscrewthreaded, as at 7, in order that it may bemounted in the lower endof the carbureter body 1 and held snugly in engagement therewith by awasher 8, a nut 9 or other fastening means.

' -At one side of the tubular member 6 is a casing 10 having adetachablev c'over',11.

Connected to-the inner side of the we 11 by a set screw 12 or otherfastening means is a bracket 13 which is insulated from the cover 11.

' Supported by the upper end 'of the bracket 13 an 14 having theproperties of a thermostat, that is, said contact arm is made of twostrips of different kinds of metal having dilferent properties ofexpansion and contraction, so

that upon being heated the lower'end of the contact arm will move to andfrom an adjustable binding post.15 carried by the easing cover 11 andsuitably insulated therefrom. The adjustable-binding post 15 has alead-in wire 16 connected thereto and by adjusting said binding'post themaking and insulated therefrom is ,.a"c ontact arm breaking of anelectrical circuit can be regulated to operate at desired degree ofheat. The upper end of the contact arm 14 is adapted to engage aresilient member 17 carried by a wall of the tubular member .6 andinsulated therefrom said resilient member being held by abindi'ng post18. Mounted in the lower end of the tubular member 6 and insulatedtherefrom is a binding post 19 to which is connected another-lead inwire 20, this wire as well as the wire' 16 being ada ted for connectionwith a'suitable sourceo electrical energy as a generator or battery.

The binding posts 18 and 19 are con- ;nected by a resistance coil 21adapted to be heated by an electrical current passing therethrough. Theresistance coil 21 may be insulated from the casing walls in anysuit-able nmnner as by providing' suiiiibie in? nm ter" thereon, orshown bf," 21 iziciie insuiation materiel mounted. in tire ion/er end ofbile tubular member (3 and iifiifii by the binding post 19. Then againit is possibie to line the WiliiS of inc 'finbnier member 6 withyorceiein or other insulating material so as to prevent a short circuitand maintain the resistance coii 21 in ooe aiiive condi'bion when 5:current of" cieciriciay is passed tberetiirongb.

By to 1, ii; Wiii be observed, that the tubular member 6 communicationwith The float ciizunber 9 so H1211; feel may enter the nozzie 3, thefuel Wiii' flow into the auxiliary chamber in the member (3 and submergethe resistance coil. :21 to be heated chereby. By adjust g the bindingpost 15, which serves es e contact member, ii; nniy be set so ii'izit avery ioe temperature will zaiiecii the thermostatic {inn 1&-snfiicienfly to cause it e0 spring on; of contact with the binding post15 to open the electrical circuit and stop the passage of currentthcrethrough, the resistance coii 2i stopping the further heating 0"'fnei m"; soon as it has been raised to the desired and predeterminedtemperature. As soon as the temperature faiis below this predeterminedpoint the therinosiazitic arm i will again straighten out ani'i closethe eieci'ric circuit untii such time as the temperature of the fuelagain raised above be point (io- 'iEYIlliilQd by the adjustment or. tile'1 screw 15. it is therefore appziz'e, electrical device is euionizricin i tion and that such operzii on may cont nue as long as an engine inoperation or inc current is turned on (L0 ciifi circuit the r existencecoii. v

I attach colisiderubie impormncc fact that time eiectriczii (icvice iein (air of an attachment zippiiczibie to 'iie SQ'Viblkki \Ycii knowni'ypes of cerbureiers, and itioit with iiio ces ng 1% for the their artplaced mt one side of the Tubular iue uin-sr :iiui manic a part of H10structure, the dcv'ce uni zip- }:iied io :31 carburetor as :2 unitwithout altering die carblu'eier or other engine appurienenccs inproximiiiy thereto. Cibviousiy ibe connection 7 may be formcui in any(ie aired position upon thenieinber (3 {do iaciiitube the connecting oithe device to iiili: purticuiar carburcter to which it to be appiied,the heating coii being oper :i'iie in, any position. it oniy beingnecesseri io connect the members (5 with fire ruei that the fuel wiiiflow into jili} heating chamber.

From the foregoing; it wiii b noted my in ention involves ii 'i'uei chiubc; to m ccive fuei, a beating eicmeni; in the chamber and iitiicrmostziiic control element iuiiuccni supply, I

"to the chamber be eiiecied by the temperature fuel in said member andautonuit-icaiiy con'firei the operation of die electrical heatingelement, the making of the device perfectly autonomic ei, aii tiiiies,and further that the thermostat may be adjusted to operate when thedesired. degree of heat has been attaineiii.

@ne embodiment my invention has been illustrated, but is; to beunderstood chat the sferucturei eiemcniis snsceptibie to such variationsand i'noiiificetions fail r itiiin the scope of the appended claims.

ii 11st I cizxini is:

i. The combination with a cerbureter, of a member connected riiere'toand adapted to receiv fuel ibereiron a casing carried by one side ofsaid i'nei'nber electric heating device in said member adapted to beconnected to a. source of eiecriczii energy, and a thermostatic conizroielement Within said casing in circuit with said heating device and thesource oi eiectriczii energy and adapted to zuitomzii'iceiiy control theoperw iion of said heating device.

2. A heater unit comprising :i body formed ivi zii a fuei cinunber anda, thermostat chamber, means for connecting the body to e cerbure .erzi'iij'ording connnunicw iion between the cnrbzireicr and fuel chainber,a heating coil in iiiiii i'uei chamber and ii 'iherinosmc in thethermostat "chamber wiibin the circuit o HA6 beating coil.

3. in eiectriczii ii for cmburcfers coinprls 2i body fined with a iueichamber and a thermostat chamber, means forming; an open conneciionbetween the mterior of e carburetor a. (i. the fuci ciuunber,

21 hearing coil in the i'! i chamber, an eleciYiCili circuicv for thecoil, a dciaciinoie cover cui't.

in cieciricui .iicrzter 'i'oi curburcters compri :i boil nieii with :1fuel cimnibe and e iiiernzoueni, chamber, means for forming;- Hi1 openconnection between the inferior of :i cnrbureicr and the fuel chamber,:i beating coii the fuel chamber :i idl'llliimi member connected withthe coii and extending into the thermostat ciuunber,

2L detuciuibie cover for ibe thermostat r-iuim-

